Working on another subject for my printing and mounting blog and thought I would put it here first. Since I do not have my roll laminator yet I am working with 3M positioning mounting adhesive which works quite well. I took a small metallic print and mounted it with the 3M product on a piece of 3mm brushed stainless Dibond. The print has no protective covering and I still found it to be quite durable. I have a 2" border of the brushed stainless showing on all 4 sides. Rather then have the sides open I purchased the 8 foot lengths of aluminum end caps and corner els. I then cut 1 1/4" strips of dibond and attached them to the strips and then to the face sheet. I planed 2 strips of pine to attach on the back the same thickness as the sides and attached with epoxy. Quite a bit of work. 2 hours for the first one. I am going to do several larger ones and will experiment with canvas that has a laminate protective coating. I still like the look of the border and this will probably go much faster once I get a laminator.

Thanks Bill,From a couple of years back. Someone elses image and we were actually working on this at one of myalternative printing and mounting workshops. This photo was applied with 3M PMA as noted above,not the best stuff but it works if people keep their fingers off of it.This one looked like it stayed pretty flat but I have several more where someone picked at the edges and its coming up at the corners.I tried a vinyl overlaminate to protect and seal the print in but in my opinion it ruins that beautiful brushed metal finish.

With a laminator you can go as wide as your laminator opening 24" 43" 62"I do large sizes with the dibond,Seal mounting adhesive and edge to edge print with a razor trim.The issue is when you center a print and the edges have to be perfectly square on all 4 sides. (Almost impossible to do if running through a laminator.)(Which is why you see guys using the repositionable adhesives.Lets see if someone responds that may have done this in a hot press. Not sure how that high heat would affect the dibond core?

Phil,Thank you.Your right,top and bottom are open,just a 2 sided frame.Purchase my Dibond and gatorboard here on the east coast from Harbor Sales,Suderlersville Md.They have the aluminum track as well.

Brian,Yes,why? You don't mean the 2 second point and shoot jpeg of the mount on my shop wall?

Stuart,Being a cabinetmaker by trade I understand a miter fold on a wood product.Not sure I understand with an 1/8" product with a dense spongy core. (Poly)Maybe you could elaborate a little more on your thoughts.I do dibond mounts mostly with canvas edge to edge with no extrusions.Their is a reason for that as you cannot slide the extrusions on to the dibond when you have a print right to the edge.So to date I use the extrusions to dress up the dibond sides when I use a center mounted floated image on the brushed stainless product.

I haven't seen it in person, but I assume from videos I discovered online, sign makers use this technique to build trays. It would seem to me one could do the same (mitre fold) by using a vee bit in a router or use a table saw, or several other methods depending on access to equipment and skill level to cut a groove in the back of the dibond and simply fold it. I don't have any experience with dibond and don't know if it comes in different thicknesses of skin and core. I figured since you are a cabinet maker and a framer you might have experimented in this direction. I also wondered about routing out a window in dibond and using it as a mat to overlay an image. There certainly is no end to the options to consider...Stuart

Gee thanks Stuart.I have a ton of festool stuff here,you could even call me a Festool junki!I watched the video but it ended without them showing what they did when they folded up the corners.I am surprised I have never seen this tool although the quick search I did only showed Euro pricing.Almost $1500 US,ouch.I have the Festool track system with several of their routers.I just found the dibond v groove router bits online and ordered one,only $35.00A whole lot less then that $1500.I will set this all up,run some material and repot back with results.I can purchase Dibond from my distributor in 2,3 and 4mm thicknesses.Another thing I forgot to mention on the dibond that has the aluminum strips on both sides.The installation of these 2 strips eliminates all 4 sharp corners and edges.A small file over the top and bottom edges takes care of that issue.I could see someone putting a nice slice on a finger or hand if the edges were not burnished.The large dibond panel being cut and folded on the video has quite a lot of edges to file.You are right,so many options.Thanks for the link.

Dan,What are you using to cut the Dibond? I use a Fletcher FSC. There are other similar rotary blade cutters out there. Makes a very smooth edge with no extra finishing... no worry about cuts.

Regarding centering a mounted print... I've not tried it myself but have thought about it. I would either mount to a slightly oversized piece of Dibond and then square everything up by trimming the Dibond after mounting; or use the technique there you apply adhesive to the print (roll adhesive applied with a laminator) and leave the protective cover on. Peel back a small strip of the protective cover and fold it back. That allows you to carefully position the print while the folded back silicon paper keeps the exposed adhesive lifted away from the ultimate mounting surface. Once positioned press down the small part of the print where the adhesive is exposed. Then feed the whole thing through the laminator will pulling back the rest of the protective strip.

Bob,I use my SCMI sliding table saw with aluminum blade.Easy for big sheets but not ideal with all the metal chips it makes. Would love to have a Fletcher!The laminator process is a good idea and should work,I have not tried it either.

Dan, it will be interesting to hear how the router and folding works out! I just discovered there is a dibond cutting attachment for a saw trax panel saw set up. I have the saw trax unit, though I'm not very happy with it for any high precision work, i.e. cabinetry... It might be worth trying for sheet goods like dibond. It looks like there is also a knife attachment available also so it could also be used to cut foam core and gator. It would be great to find something it actually does reasonably well

I would love to hear if any body has any experience w these options on a saw trax. Evidently they sell these setups to the sign industry.

I have a Fletcher 3100 wall mounted cutter. It has cutting heads for paper type stuff, glass, plastic, and a head with cutting wheels that straddle the Dibond and cut it nicely with the edge very slightly bent inward so there is no rough burr.Also, less possibility of scratching the surface like possible on a table saw.

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